Captive
by TheSnarkMaster
Summary: Some time after the fall of Apocalypse, the X-Men are in a time of peace and ease with both the mutant world and the human world. It is any other normal day when Rogue is taken captive to an unknown lab. Drugged, weak, and mutation suppressed, Rogue only has herself to rely on... or maybe Gambit just happens to be in the same place at the same time.
1. Free, But Not Quite Free

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, I'm back at it again! Here's a new ROMY story for you all. Projected to be four chapters, already written out. This will surely go a lot faster than my other Romy work, _Cape of Our Hero_ , which I'm still working on. First chapter is a little slow, but will pick up at the end. I just wanted to get a sense of normalcy, and I hope that shows through. **

**I also want to make mention of the M rating. The story is more so of a "pushing-it" T rating, but its better to be safe than sorry. There are some trigger warnings that I will make when we get to those specific chapters, hence the overal M rating to be on the safe side.**

 **Per usual, please drop a review and tell me what you think! I'd love to get some input on this story and where to go from the ending when I get there. Also don't forget to favorite and follow or just drop me a PM if you want to talk or collaborate. :)**

 **Story Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men: Evolution or any of its characters or referenced plots from any of its seasons.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

 _Chapter 1: Free, But Not Quite Free_

 _Rogue:_

It really was a beautiful day; the sun was starting to set for the evening, its orange brightness dulling considerably. In the opposite direction of the sun, I could see hues of blue peeking over the horizon, signaling nightfall elsewhere. Tall and short buildings lined the road – pharmacies, grocery stores, cafés, boutiques, and even a pizzeria.

Everything was just... serene.

"Rogue, are you even listening to me?" my brunette companion complained from my side.

Kitty Pryde was a wonderful friend to have around, so much to say that she would be considered my best friend. However, she tended to ramble a lot, thereby giving me time to think.

"Sorry Kit, was just thinkin'," I said.

"What about?" Kitty asked, genuinely interested.

"It's just a beautiful night," I truthfully stated with a slight smile to my face.

"That's it?" Kitty pried. "No juicy gossip?"

 _Since when did I ever have any gossip to share?_ I considered it one of my proudest traits to refrain from gossip, whether it be mine or another's. "Sure, because _I_ got gossip to share, Kitty," I snidely replied and rolled my eyes.

"Like, I mean… the Brotherhood has calmed down; from what Piotr has told us, the Acolytes have been disbanded; Magneto is basically under wraps; Apocalypse is gone…. So, what do you think about in your spare time, Roguey-dear?" Kitty fished for an answer.

"Well, recently I've been thinkin' 'bout drainin' a certain brunette chatterbox," I looked to Kitty expectantly.

"Hey now crazy ass!" Kitty backed away and playfully put her hands up in defense.

We both laughed as I raised my gloved hand. As the days became warmer and warmer and the season began to change, I started wearing light sweaters over tank tops and t-shirts to remain nice and cool. I often wore skinny jeans or a stylish maxi-skirt. When fall rolled back around, I would go back to wearing my comfortable sweaters. In either case, it was easy to remain chilled through the warming climate.

All the while, the damn gloves remained the same. Never changing. Never gone. A curse and a blessing all the same, depending on who was standing in front of me.

But, I was way passed dwelling on the bad parts of my mutation. The professor and I had certainly made some progress in locking away the different psyches that were in my head – it's not like I needed any of their wits or mutations to get out of a situation, seeing as how quiet the mutant and human world was for the moment. And even though I could feel the space in my mind that was full of these psyches, which weighed heavily on me, it was nice to have my own thoughts separated from everyone else's.

That aside, I pulled myself back to the conversation. "You mentioned somethin' 'bout Piotr, right?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yeaaaah?" Kitty asked, and I could see the tips of her ears reddening ever so slightly.

"I saw y'all talkin' the other day. Lookin' a little chummy if ya ask me," I pointed out. And it was true, there was certainly chemistry between the petite young lady and the gentle giant. Simply the way they made eye contact and smiled ever so slightly over the breakfast table was an indicator of that.

At this, Kitty's face was beet red. "I thought you didn't do gossip?" she tried to argue.

"There's a difference between gossip and best-friend talk," I replied cheekily.

"He's too old," Kitty replied after a while.

"What? That's seriously what's stoppin' ya? For God's sake Kitty, you're gonna turn 18 in a month!" I said in a baffled tone.

"Easy for you to say," Kitty muttered under her breath.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" I asked defensively.

"Well, like, let's not forget about the time you ran off with an evil Cajun to New Orleans," she sing-songed.

"Rem-Gambit wasn't evil per se," I shot back. My voice rose slightly and I could hear my own Southern accent coming out. _Rogue, that was the wrong part of Kitty's argument to oppose and you know it!_ "Regardless, you an' Big 'Ole Pete aren't even that far apart in age."

Kitty seemed to contemplate what I was saying, seeming to forget the red-eyed Cajun she had previously brought up. However, I was stuck wondering about why I was left thinking about the infamous Remy LeBeau. _Stop it, Rogue._

As we continued to walk the quiet roads of Bayville, we happened upon a small café and my stomach grumbled. The smells wafting from the compact building were practically calling my name. Kitty, not so much. "C'mon Rogue, the mansion's doing spaghetti night!"

"You go along then, I won't be long. Just wanna grab one of these pastries… and a sandwich… and those salads are looking pretty good too," I peered through the window. "I think I'll just eat here," I finally resolved.

"Suit yourself, just don't break curfew again or Logan might actually kill you this time," Kitty said over her shoulder as she walked quickly in the direction of the mansion.

I simply waved her off, knowing she would have a safe trip to the mansion.

I walked into the quaint café and noticed the delicious smell from outside only increased upon arrival. Pastries were plastered behind clear windows behind the counter – anything ranging from sweet to savory. The scent of cooked meat made my stomach rumble as well as the faint hint of coffee that surrounded the inside of the building.

"Hey, welcome to the Black Rose Café, what can I get for ya?" The barista asked.

She did not seem phased by the heavy makeup I wore, and continued to smile at me. It was contagious just enough for me to give a slight smile back. I briefly scanned the menu. I asked, "Ya guys do 'to go' orders?" I didn't want to eat Jean's spaghetti today, but I also wouldn't mind eating dinner in bed and reading a good novel.

"Sure do! What'll it be?" she asked.

I pondered for another moment more before deciding. "Can I get the steak and cheddar panini with your Caesar salad?"

My mouth was practically watering already.

"Absolutely! Anything else?" the barista asked.

I snuck a peak at the pastries in the window and I just couldn't help myself. _Don't resist it, Rogue._ "Can I also get a slice of the raspberry-lemon cheesecake?"

"Yes, ma'am. Your total is gonna come out to be twelve dollars and seventy-nine cents."

I handed her fifteen dollars and she gave me the respective amount of money back, and I tipped her two of my dollars. "This place is so lovely," I said while looking around the small modern complex. Some chairs and tables lined one side of the café, while more comfortable couches and recliners sat against the other side.

"Well, we get good business, so we must be doing something right," she said. She handed me a bag that had all of my orders inside and said, "Thanks for stopping in tonight! Hope to see you back!"

I said nothing but gave her one last smile.

As I walked alone to the mansion, the night progressed, and street lights continuously lit up. I lost my mind to my thoughts as I walked the quiet road home. I thought of the summer and the next danger room session with Logan. I thought of the book I was going to read when getting home, as well as the warm food that rested in my hand. I dared not to think too far into the future, nor too far into the past, for either was dangerous territory.

Lost in my thoughts, it took me mere moments to realize that someone had grabbed me. _How had I not noticed that someone was even following me?_

They grabbed me from behind and locked me in an iron grip that was sure to leave bruises lining my forearms and from the stature of my captor, I could tell it was a man – a man who was taller and stronger than I was. He was a man that was keeping my wrists strained. "Don't even try it," his deep voice stated. "I know what you are."

I tried screaming, but he soon put a cloth over my mouth and I tasted something coppery.

In the back of my mind, I could hear Logan's voice: _Take away their mobility, then their sight, then their air._ I could do none of this and a small tear formed in my eye, but I would not will it to fall.

What was this man going to do to me? Surely, if he knows what I am, he knows who I am, and he wouldn't dare touch me in any sort of way.

 _So, just what the hell was going on?_

My head felt fuzzy and my eyes began to droop. As the copper taste in my mouth increased, my legs continuously lost their feeling, and I knew that I could do nothing whatsoever.

* * *

 _Later:_

The body wakes up in many ways. Some people wake up because they smell something in the air that brought them out of unconsciousness. Some people wake up because they hear something. Others wake up because someone is trying to do so. In each case, the body takes its time to wake up in a peaceful manner and come to consciousness at the mind and body's own will.

Well, that was not what happened today.

I abruptly woke in a spasm and sat upright. I looked around to my surroundings and found that I was in a cell. Three concrete walls surrounded me with one wall containing steel bars. I stood up and walked to those bars. Dragging my legs under me, I almost fell from how woozy I was.

 _Chloroform. It had to be chloroform._

There was also something heavy around my neck. It felt almost like a dog collar.

Oh no. Professor Xavier only showed us the collars once, but the jist was easy to get. The collars were to suppress a mutant's powers.

I tried to open up my mind and recall anyone's voices – Kitty, the Professor, Scott, Kurt, Logan… hell, even Gambit! I tried to conjure up anyone and everyone I had ever drained and none of it worked. I had lost my connection to them and to my mutation. I was alone.

I began to hyperventilate, but I did not dare to scream out for help. The people who took me – whoever they are – could have an agenda and I wanted to prolong that for as long as possible. But… I was defenseless. My skin, my poisonous skin, was gone and I had no protection from whatever was to come.

 _Fuck._

 _Okay Rogue, make some assessments about how to best get out of here._

I sat back on the ground and cleared my mind of all thoughts. Now was not the time to start freaking out. _Stay frosty, Rogue._

The air was cold. It was cold enough to where I had to wrap my arms around myself to hold back the impeding goosebumps. There were only a few fluorescent lights that illuminated the room in different shades of grey. In the corner of my cell, there was a camera, which I assumed was watching my every move. And near where I originally woke up, there was a plastic cup full of water.

Directly looking at the camera, I poured the contents of the water onto the ground and threw the cup threw the bars of the cell defiantly.

If they're going to try and drug me, then they're going to have to do it some other way or to just let me die. I wasn't going to take anything they were going to give me.

In the far corner of the room, I saw a steel door. _That must be the way out._

 _Now if only I knew…_

Suddenly, the heavyset door opened to reveal two men, both wearing white lab coats. What a cliché. "Ah, you're awake! Glad to see you are doing well, my dear," one of the men said. He had a full head of hair that was ever so slightly greying from its original jet-black color. He was skinny and wore oval shaped glasses. Behind the glasses were a set of kind blue eyes, but I did not fall victim to the kindness. Contrary to him, the other person in the room was blonde and seemed young, maybe mid-twenties. His stature was a little more built and his arms seemed well defined through the lab coat he wore.

"Save the endearments for someone who cares," I sassed him.

"So, you prefer to go by Rogue? Or maybe Anna Marie? I can already see that this will not be a pleasant encounter then. And here I was, coming to you to give you some good news," he and his accomplice sauntered closer to my cell.


	2. Captive

**Author's Note: Back again with chapter 2! TRIGGER WARNING: Unwanted sexual advances/molestation, BUT no explicit sex or rape. Read at your own discretion. We see quite a bit of bad in this chapter for Rogue (a lot of mental and physical stress), but also some good at the end. I took the names Atom and Murphy from a different show (props to you if you know what it is!), and I have no idea what compelled me to write in those names.**

 **Please feel free to review/follow/favorite. Let me know what you like and don't like, give me some suggestions for future chapters, talk about the show, etc.!**

 **Enjoy! :)**

 _Chapter 2: Captive_

 _Rogue POV:_

I just stuck my nose up at them both. Good news? These damn dimwits take me and think I will accept any good news. I don't think so. And how do they even know my real name?

We all stood there silently and very intense. My previous wooziness was replaced by anger towards the people. "Why am I here and how do you know me?"

"Well, you're here for two reasons," the older man said and gestured for his apprentice to describe their plans. His lab coat red Dr. Murphy and his student's coat read Dr. Atom.

The young man spoke: "We can cure you. It will be a very simple process and our technologies will be able to extract the tissue that makes up your mutation through a simple surgery. Basically, we would drain you of your mutation."

Dr. Atom smiled through his description. All the while, I remained skeptical and unwilling to accept this blessing… _or was it a burden?_

"So, that's nice and all, but…" I began. "Why was I abducted and why am I being held captive?"

They looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation with their eyes. "So help me God, if I don't get any damn answers, then you won't see so much as a drop of my blood," I threatened. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

Dr. Murphy continued where the other left off. "We… are strong believers that this world does not need mutants. However, we have funding that will enable us to safely eradicate the mutant race."

"Safely eradicate?!" I asked in frustration.

"Yes," the doctor continued. "Our plan is to use your tissue to inject into other registered mutants," he paused. That must be how he knows my information and there's no doubt he has records upon records of all the other mutants either. "We don't wish to hurt anyone, so injecting them with your mutation will stop their fertility line. If they cannot touch one another, then they cannot procreate. Simple as that."

"But even if you do have a list of registered mutants, there are still more out there. You can't possibly be so ignorant to think that you can just… find all the mutants in the world," I tried.

"Our funds will allow for proper engineers to build a device that can do so then. Anything is possible Rogue… such as being able to touch someone without hurting them. Don't you want that?" Dr. Atom tried to reason.

If anyone understood the pain of not being able to touch, it would be me and I could not fathom passing that to another individual much less an entire sub-species! I don't think I could live with myself if that were to happen. If I had to live a lifetime without knowing the touch of a lover, then so be it as long as it has to be no one else. "Well, I'm afraid that I have to decline your offer." While it would be nice to touch another human being without sucking the life and memories out of them, it would also be an incredibly selfish decision to make.

"I am sorry to inform you, but you have no say in the matter," Dr. Murphy replied in a low voice. "I am truly sorry if it seemed as if we gave you a choice to begin with."

Fighting Magneto, the Brotherhood, Apocalypse and all the other threats the X-Men had to face, I would love to admit that no matter how scared I ever was, I was able to remain fearless in some sense.

But this? Being trapped with no way out and not able to use my powers? I was fearful, and not just for myself.

Both men left the room shortly after and said they would be back soon for the operation.

As I sat against the wall, I found myself in a seemingly impossible situation. I couldn't do anything logical. Even if I killed myself, they could still get what they need. There was little chance of a rescue showing up anytime soon – the Professor couldn't track me through Cerebro due to the collar around my neck. Even Wolverine's impressive tracking skills couldn't be able to find me in time. I could try my own hand at an escape plan, but what were the chances of that working?

I was trapped.

It could have been minutes or hours before someone came in through the steel door. My sense of time was skewed.

"Get up," the man said.

 _God, if I see one more damn man today…_

"I said Get. Up. Prisoner," the man repeated. And that's when I heard it – this was my original captor. I hadn't seen his face before, but it seemed to match his voice impeccably. He was burly and my measurement of height and strength from our scuffle in the street was very accurate.

He unlocked the door to my cage and I backed as far away from him as possible in the small area. Soon enough, he had me cornered and I could smell his cigar-filled breath as he used his body to hold me down as he pierced a syringe into my upper arm.

"What the hell?!" I screamed. I tried pushing him off me and making a run for the steel door, but almost fell on my face immediately.

My eyes could no longer focus on specific details of the area I was in.

"Prisoner is sedated," the man said into what I assumed was a walkie.

I could hear the faint sound of wheels running over harsh concrete, and had the sensation of being lifted – someone grabbed my arms, while another grabbed my legs. I could also feel leather straps redundantly restraining my numb limbs.

I could feel myself going in and out of consciousness. One minute, we were in a poorly lit hallway; the next, fluorescent lighting; the next an operating room.

"Please… don't do this… I'm begging you," I said, even though my own voice sounded hundreds of miles away in my mind.

I could not keep my eyes open anymore and could feel the light pressure of a mask being put on my face.

"Oh, my dear, we are doing this for the good of humanity," Dr. Murphy smiled behind his own fabric mask.

My last thought before succumbing to muddled darkness was the thought of holding hands with another being, no barriers in between. _How selfish._

How selfish, indeed.

Unlike before, my body woke up with a sense of peace. I opened my eyes the moment my brain would allow me to and gazed around at the surroundings from my position on the ground. Next to me sat another glass of water with a note taped to it.

Before picking either of the items up, I felt something sticky on the back of my neck – at least they had the decency to take off that damned collar – and touched it. I applied light pressure to the middle of the irritated area and retched back in pain. _They… they cut me open. How could they?_ My sense of privacy was eternally shot and I felt broken.

It was then that I took the note from the water in shaky pale hands and read:

 _Congratulations, you have been cured. ~Dr. Atom and Dr. Murphy._

I looked at the simple note with disbelief and bile rose to my throat, yet I willed it to stay down. I picked up the cup of water and threw it at the concrete wall, only wishing it was glass so that I may hear the refreshing noise of something being shattered. I no longer possessed poisoned skin.

A bitter laugh rose through my mouth and I wept into the comfort of my inner arms, backing myself into a corner of the cell. I tried to will away the pain at the base of my neck, but the physical and moral injury was a crude reminder that I was indeed _cured_.

 _Congratulations, Rogue._

* * *

 _Hours Later:_

I woke to the sound of an opening door, but my eyes refused to blink. At least, my eyes didn't do so until another door was unlocked and opened. I fixated on the figure that was standing in front of my now-open cell door. It was my original captor – whoever he was.

What I wanted to do was get up and beat his ass for kidnapping me. Some part of my unconscious mind was telling me that he damn well deserved it. But, I felt as if all that fight had left my body. I felt weak.

So, I glared at him and said nothing. He didn't deserve the satisfaction of my questioning voice.

It wasn't until he shut my cell door with him still inside that I fully sat up. Admittedly, the movement was dizzying. However, my growing anxiety willed my body to start going into survival mode again. Fight or flight, the adrenaline was back.

"Sorry for taking you the other day," the burly man said while standing in front of the door to my cell nonchalantly. Ah, so it had been at least a day I had been here.

"You mean kidnapping me?" I seethed in response. It was difficult to sound tough when my voice was cracking from its lack of water and use.

He chuckled to himself a little and casually pushed his body off the door. He sauntered around my small jail. "Damn, thought the docs would've better accommodated you… given you a bed or at least a pillow" he said while paying little attention to the details on the concrete wall. "Then again, you are a mutant."

And there it was – yet another person to deny me something as simple as shelter because of my genetics.

"Well, not anymore…" he smirked. At this, he started coming towards me.

"What… what are you doing?" I asked incredulously.

"The thing is, you were the girl who had poisonous skin," he came closer and closer to me. "Untouchable, if you will. That's what the docs said." If I wasn't creeped out before, I sure as hell was now. "But not anymore."

I could not find the strength to stand up, but I attempted to scoot away from him as much as possible. Every step he took towards me, I would back away further from him.

Really, it was a plan that could've worked for hours – hunter stalking his very aware prey – but the wall that came up behind my back signaled that there was no more running now. "Please stop," I cried, my resolve breaking apart.

"I mean, I'll be the first person who touches you," he said as he grabbed both of my hands with one of his and pinned them to the ground roughly.

"Don't do this!" I yelled at him and tried kicking him away. All the while, he held my legs down with one of his. His thigh and knee rested across both of my lower legs and I was beginning to lose feeling in them.

No man had ever dared to touch me the way he did and it was positively horrifying. He ran his hands all over my upper body and neck, but he paid special attention to the column of my neck. "So soft…" I could hear him mutter as his hand caressed the exposed skin.

Two things happened in this moment: he started to close his hand around my slender neck and I could feel his pants begin to tighten and something slightly jabbed my thigh. The hand around my neck continued to cut off my airway more and more and I began to struggle for breathe. Right when black dots began to swarm along with my vision, he let go of my neck and I let a big gulp of oxygen into my lungs.

My victorious air was short-lived though as he began running his hands over my breasts through the clothing rather painfully. "Damn, you gotta nice rack on you," he said sleazily. _Who even says that?_

As he began to dry hump my legs like the dog that he was, I tried to distance myself from the present situation. I was physically too weak to resist him. I hadn't eaten in over a day and I hadn't drank anything, for that matter as well. I was without my mutation, which in itself could have given me strength.

I was just too weak to fend him off. I was too weak.

As much as I tried to take myself out of the situation, the vulgar sensation of his hands on my body brought me back again and again, as small sobs wracked my body. The sick fuck probably liked that, too.

I could hear more so than feel the ripping of my shirt as he tore the protective garment and the accommodating bra from my torso as he fondled my nipples roughly.

This moment in time felt so unreal. Part of me wanted to throw up bile at the whole situation. First, these maniacs kidnap me; then, they take away my mutation without my consent; and now, I'm being raped.

That other part of me was fixated on the fact that I was about to lose my virginity – something that I thought I would hold on to until my death. Even when I thought that I could never touch another human being, I still thought that my first time having sex would be with someone who I loved. Not this. Not with this rapist.

As his hands traveled further south on my body, I began to weep silently. When he popped the button on my jeans and pulled down the zipper, I was surprised to hear a mixture of something that sounded like a _bang-crack-clink_ instead of feeling my pants being pulled down.

My captor dropped to the side, unconscious and I just laid on the ground for a moment, contemplating what had just happened.

"You need a hand, Cherie?" a familiar voice asked.

"Gambit?" I asked, surprised by his presence.

"Please chere, aren't we passed those formalities?" he charmed, casual as ever. "Better getcha outta here before he wakes up, I didn't hit him _that_ hard."

Apparently, the noise I had heard was Gambit's bow-staff hitting the man's head. Serves him right for what he was about to do to me.

"Why are you here?" I asked, truly baffled.

"Just running an errand for ole-Magneto is all," he replied casually.

"Magneto's still around?" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry chere, he ain't digging up any trouble today," he finished.

And in that moment, I felt a wave of calm spread over my half-naked body. In the ugly fluorescent lighting, it was refreshing to see the face of Remy LeBeau, no matter how arrogant and disgusting he was. Even though I was sure he wasn't here for a rescue mission, I was still thankful. If I were being honest with myself – which I wish I hadn't – I preferred seeing him in this moment rather than any other X-Man. All things considered, it was nice to know that he wouldn't take any of this seriously. That's what I needed right now to carry on. The rest I could figure out later.

I feebly attempted to get up from the ground, heeding Gambit's words carefully. He was right; if there was a camera in my jail cell, then people were sure to know that something was wro-

My thoughts were cut off by a piercing alarm that made me curl in on myself. Even Gambit couldn't help a small jolt of surprise.

"We gotta go," I yelled over the alarm.

Gambit offered a hand without thinking, and I took it. Like always, I expected the tell-tale feeling of his life force flowing through me – his memories, his powers, his skills – but none of that happened and we both looked at each other, stunned. He didn't have to ask any questions, because he knew.

Gazing upon Gambit now, I became the slightest bit elated that I could finally touch people without hurting them. But, the continuation of the blaring alarm allowed me to push that thought aside for now.

As Gambit helped me to my feet, I almost fell into his broad chest from lack of balance. I could fully feel the weakening effects of no water and food in my system and became dizzy upon standing up to my full height. The amount of sedatives from the past day(s) still in my system did not help.

"This ain't no rescue mission Gambit," I stated firmly. "Just go. I'll catch up." I didn't mean it.

Gambit broke down his bow-staff and equipped it below his trench coat. "Not leavin you here, Rogue," he stated seriously. I hadn't seen him so serious in a long time. "This just turned into a rescue mission," he stated back just as firmly.

The way out of the complex was fairly easy; for a place so big, it was severely lacking in security measurements. I guess their funding only extended so much.

The alarms continued their incessant noise and I couldn't help but chuckle at this all.

Gambit looked to me with a confused expression. "Something funny?" he asked.

"You're a pretty bad thief, letting all those alarms go off," I said playfully.

"Well if being a bad thief means I can save you again and again, then so be it," he stated matter-of-fact. I felt a small flutter in my stomach at his kind words, whether they were true or just one of his lines.

I looked at the passing walls bitterly as Gambit and I made our way through the long, winding hallways. I currently had an arm draped across Gambit's shoulders and his own arm was lightly but firmly wrapped around my waist to keep from falling. I so badly wanted to rest my head atop his shoulder and fall into a blissful sleep that was surrounded by scents of spices and hints of cigarettes; but, that would have to wait for a later time.

When we finally made it outside after quite a few impressive twists and turns on Gambit's part, the humid and warm night air was the first thing I felt on my skin. How much of that skin was feeling it? I dared to not think about it.

We made our weary way down the road some. Gambit said, "Don't you worry, Rogue. We'll get you outta this shit hole soon enough." And we carried on until we came to an area with dense bushes lining the street. Out of the corner of one of the bushes, I could see the sparkling of something metallic. "Your bike?" I asked.

"Well but of course, chere!" he exclaimed. "Ready to ride?"

"Sure thing Swamp Rat," I said with a sigh. I tried my best to cover up my lithe body from his view. My shirt, now that I noticed, was ripped deeply down the middle. And I actually liked this damn shirt! It didn't take much of a passing gaze to even see my black bra for that matter. Luckily, my pants didn't sustain much damage aside from dirt and grime. Turning around from my travel companion, I made the best decision I possibly could make and ripped the rest of the shirt down the middle. With that new tear, I was able to tie the shirt just underneath my breasts, so they were at least hidden from view. On that note, I made sure to button my pants back up with shaking hands. _Well, this'll have to do._ I had no mirror, so I could only hope this looked somewhat normal.

When I turned back around to face Gambit, he was taking off his trench coat and he handed it to me. "Here, it gets cold," he said in a serious tone. I didn't know if he really was concerned about my being warm or cold, or if was just to dilute others from looking our direction; in any case, I accepted his token and tied it around my body tight. The coat was heavy, but warm – so blissfully warm.

When we finally rode off into the night, I rested my tired head against the back of Remy's shoulder and held on to his waist a little tighter. Ever the slightest, I could feel him lean more into me as well, seeming to give as much comfort as he could.

As I sat on the back of Gambit's motorcycle with the wind rushing through my hair and the roar of the engine, I began to silently cry about the past day or so. Some tears were reserved for pure sadness; some tears were held for absolute hatred; some tears were even saved for relief; and then some tears were shed for everything in between. My only true solace in the moment was knowing that I was with the one person in the world who would understand these confounding emotions I held.

 **What are your thoughts? It got pretty graphic there for a moment, but I hope I did it justice. Don't forget to review/follow/favorite for more! :) Keep it classy everyone!**


	3. Captivated

**Author's Note: Here it is guys! Thanks for your patience in getting this one out. Chapter takes place the same night as chapter 2, but definitely has a lighter tone. Hope you all enjoy :)**

 **Per usual, remember to follow/favorite/review or drop me a PM!**

 _Chapter 3: Captivated_

 _Rogue POV:_

* * *

We had been riding for hours now. Every time I would even think about dozing off, the engine from Gambit's motorcycle would immediately wake me up, no matter how drowsy I felt. It was so late that even Gambit's shoulders felt as if they were starting to slack.

Aside from that, with each bump and crack in the road, I became more and more annoyed.

Not to mention, it was fucking freezing. And I knew it wasn't his fault – really, I did. But, he was here, and God dammit, I really wanted to yell at someone. Besides, I needed him to answer a few questions anyway.

"Hey, pull over!" I yelled over the wind.

He didn't say anything, but I could see the weary nod of his head.

Within two miles, we were stopped at an abandoned rest stop. There wasn't a car on the deserted highway, which signaled to me that even the craziest drivers were hunkered down for the night.

I popped off his bike the moment we were safely stopped. I loved riding motorcycles, but if Logan had taught me anything, it was to be safe around them. Pacing around the bike, I could feel the full weight of his trench coat upon my shoulders. I wanted to shed myself of it, but was conscious of the lack of sufficient clothing.

He, on the other hand, took his sweet time shutting the engine off and sauntering over to me. He didn't say anything and just crossed his arms over his chest, looking at me expectantly.

"Mind answerin' a few questions from me?" I asked in a sassy tone.

He gestured for me to go on. Our faces were illuminated poorly through an overlooking street lamp, which allowed me to see his face and all his accompanying shadows. His usual smirk was glazed over with more stubble than usual and bags were forming under his unique eyes. All the while, he remained irrevocably handsome.

But for now, I had to put that to the back of my mind and begin my questioning. "First, what day is it?"

"Why, it's the day of our Lord and Savior!" Remy replied in a rather snarky tone.

Sunday. And the last day I remember was Friday evening. At the mere mention of how much time had passed, my stomach twisted in hunger and thirst. However, that could wait.

"Why is Magneto of all people sending you out on his behalf?" I asked then with an accusatory tone. Just because Magneto had been laying low for the time being didn't mean that he didn't have a hidden agenda. And before today, Gambit had been M.I.A.

"Really, Rogue?" he asked with malice in his voice. "You got something you wanna ask me?"

Now I felt a little guilty about what I was going to ask, but I needed him to say it. "You workin' for Magneto again?" I lowered my eyes from his piercing gaze and could feel my cheeks flush. He just needed to say it.

"No, I'm not working for him again," he finally said and looked away, walking in the opposite direction from me and kicked some pebbles that lined the curb. "And as I told you before, I was just running an errand. He needed a thief and I was looking for some work."

I released a long-awaited breath. Even though he showed very little readable emotion on his face, it was easy to tell that he was hurt by my accusation. "Sorry I asked," I admitted with sincerity. When I looked into his exhausted eyes, I could feel some of the moment's tension melt away. "Do you wanna tell me why he sent you?"

He pondered this for a moment and finally let out a breath of resignation. He must've known that I wouldn't stop pestering him until I got the answer I wanted. I smirked a little at this knowledge and kept it in the back of my mind. "Mags said that there was a facility that needed breaking into. And me being the best thief around, well… I couldn't just turn down such a praise," he said with a hint of playfulness returning to his accented voice. His smirk lit up the night sky and elated me unlike any time before. It was as if his smirk represented some type of normalcy, and any chance of getting that back was welcomed. "He told me to collect anything that looked important, and chere, you were the most important thing I could find," he said teasingly.

"Oh, so I'm just a thing?" I shot back.

"Non, chere. You're the most beautiful woman I ever done seen," he replied with that Cajun charm of his.

"God Swamp Rat, don't you ever filter yourself?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Where's the fun in that?" he asked with humor.

We sobered rather quickly and I asked another question: "You're not going to take me to Magneto, right?"

It's not like I could do Magneto any good, but the presence of the Master of Magnetism still put me on edge.

"No, I'll take you home," he replied while looking deep into my emerald eyes.

"Thank you," I said while gazing longingly into his red-black orbs. "Thank you for… being there. Really."

"Anything for you, Rogue," he said sincerely.

My heart swelled at the conviction in his voice as well as the proximity. Even on our short trip through New Orleans, Remy did not shy away from me. Where everyone kept a respectable distance from me and my skin, he only wanted to come close to me – be near me. Obnoxiously so and even uncomfortably at some points. And now… now something could actually come of it. Whatever it was.

Breaking our intense moment, I looked away from him shyly and stepped back. When I looked at him again, I did so with a slight smile. "Where even are we, Remy?"

He let out a snort of laughter. "That's the first time you've called me by my name," he said.

"Could you just answer my question, _Remy_?" I inquired, putting extra emphasis on his name.

"Northern Pennsylvania, just outside of New York," he answered.

I sighed, frustrated. I know that I probably had the mansion worried – at least, Kitty and Kurt – and it's not like I could contact the professor anymore through Cerebro.

 _What would I even tell them? Would I even be an X-Man still?_

Who cares? I could no longer form coherent thoughts without any food in my system.

"Mind buyin' me some dinner? I'll pay you back," I said to him over the rumble of my stomach.

"Do I get to choose the payment? One dollar for one kiss?" he asked while wiggling his eyebrows at me and coming closer.

"Hmmm, we'll see Swamp Rat," I said playfully. "Now get on the bike, I'm starving over here!"

"As you wish," he said with a smile lighting up his tired face.

* * *

 _Later:_

The good news was that we made it to New York; the bad news was that we had to stop driving for the night. Even Remy had his limits, I suppose. At least he had the good sense to know when to stop driving, as opposed to getting us in an accident due to exhaustion.

Regardless of the slight hiccup in our travels, I was more than happy to finally be back in a bed – even if that bed was from a cheap, roadside motel. I could tell Remy felt the same sense of relief. Although I preferred the comforts of my own plush bed, whatever was offered here for comfort would have to do.

In any case, it would be better than a cement floor any day of the week.

Admittedly, I was nervous to be sleeping in the same room as my Cajun traveler. Even though Kitty and other patrons around the mansion teased me of being attracted to the dangerous Remy LeBeau, I never once confirmed their suspicions out loud. I wasn't ready then, and I'm not ready now to admit to him, no less. And now that I could touch him without knocking him on his ass, I just hoped that I wouldn't take advantage of that.

I watched as Remy talked to the graveyard shift worker about getting a room, but I tuned them both out. Instead. I pondered my situation and thought about the debriefing I would have to give to the older members of the X-Men. How much could I bear to tell the Professor, Ororo, Hank and – God, help us all – Logan? They were the closest people I had to parents for the past several years and I didn't want to upset them or rile them up too much. What was I supposed to say? _I was taken by an unknown assailant to a lab somewhere outside of New York, operated on, and had my powers taken from me. Oh, and if you are wondering why Gambit dropped me off, he actually saved me from being raped by said assailant._ Yeah, that sounds like it'll go over well. Because I was positive that Remy would take me all the way back to the mansion, I knew people would want to know why he got involved; but that didn't mean that either of us had to spill the beans on what almost happened in that dreaded cell.

All the while, my mind consistently reminded me that I lost my powers. Actually, 'lose' would imply that I simply misplaced them. No, lose was definitely the wrong word. More like, my powers were taken from me. _Taken._

And just like that, I was no longer Rogue…

"Rogue… chere?" Remy asked from beside me, a key dangling from his side. "You ready to finally get some rest?"

"You don't gotta tell me twice," I said with finality.

I looked to his tired eyes and realized he was just as ready for bed as I was. After we ended up finding a twenty-four-hour fast food place, our stomachs allowed us to feel the extent of the exhaustion. Aside from a complete sense of tiredness in his eyes, there was something else that I couldn't quite place.

Confusion? Questioning? Intrigue?

When we arrived at our room not even two minutes later, I was shocked to see how nice the inside was; albeit, the sheets and comforter looked like they were given to the motel from an older couple. Everything looked clean and smelled good, and I wouldn't complain about that.

The only issue present was that there was only _one_ comforter and _one_ set of sheets on the _one_ bed. And there wasn't sign of a couch in the small space. "Rock, paper, scissors for the bed?" I asked in a joking tone.

A slight smirk lit up his face and it brought warmth to my heart. Just knowing that Remy even dared to fight my assaulter brought a weird warmth to my heart. Generally, I was very prideful about saving my own self, so this new feeling was very foreign. Nevertheless, his presence was putting my mind at ease.

When his red-black eyes connected with my own, I knew I wouldn't want to share this moment – this joke – with anyone else.

"We need to talk," he said in a serious tone, although his smile remained. "Then, we can battle for the bed."

"Didn't we already talk earlier?" I asked referring to our intense parking lot conversation.

"You asked your questions, and now I want to ask my own," he replied evenly.

I said nothing and only gestured for him to continue as I sat on the cushiony bed. He sat across from me on a stiff-looking chair and I gazed passed him to the large mirror on the wall. The creature who looked back at me was truly a face to reckon with. She had tangles of auburn hair and matted down white streaks in her hair. All her skin makeup was gone, and her tanned skin showed in the dim lighting of the room. Her emerald green orbs were dark-rimmed with the remnants of mascara and black eyeliner, along with heavyset bags. Even her once ample cheeks looked like they were shrinking in on themselves.

Knowing the 'she' was me, I started to feel self-conscious about my appearance and casually ran hands through my hair to at least tame some of the damage done from the these last few days.

"I need something from the inside of my coat," Remy said to me.

I looked at him reluctantly, remembering that the coat was my only protection from being mostly exposed. I expertly untied the middle of the jacket, but didn't take it off fully. Even so, I could still feel the cold air from the room rush upon my chest. I already knew that Remy had pockets upon pockets of items in his trench coat – a thief is never too far away from his gadgets. "What are you looking for?"

Instead of answering, he merely leaned into my personal space, slowly moving his hand towards something in the jacket. His knuckles radiated a lovely heat and our noses were only mere inches from touching each other. I closed my eyes and took in the intoxicating scent of Remy LeBeau. I had only been this close to him a handful of times, but I dreamt of it twice as much.

My mind played the _'will he or won't he'_ game and the _'should I or shouldn't I'_ game. I could do it after all – kiss him, touch him – and I wouldn't hurt him this time around.

This could very well be the most intimate moment in my life.

Before either of us – mostly me – could act on our desires, Remy finally pulled away his hand, along with some important-looking files. All the while, his face remained rather close to my own. "These are the files I stole from that lab," he whispered to me as if someone could be listening to our conversation right now. "I can either read them during my own time or you can just tell me what happened to you."

I hesitated after his response. There was some semblance of myself that didn't want to even admit what happened out loud; but there was something about the elusive Gambit that made me believe my secret would be safe with him. If I started telling him, there would be no stopping, that was for sure. And if I wanted anyone to know the whole story and not just the spark notes version, I wanted it to be him. "Th-the guy you hit upside the head. He was the one who took me. I was walking back to the mansion after getting something to eat…."

I told him everything I could remember from the past two days. What felt like only a few minutes turned out to be closer to half-an-hour. Time really got away from me. "And, well, he tried to…er, touch me. That's when you showed up… and now I can… well," I stopped talking and touched the top of his bare hand. "You know the rest."

Remy remained quiet for most of my story, only grunting at the particularly gruesome moral indiscretions.

"Chere…" he began with a sympathetic tone. I knew what was going to come next, but I refused to take his pity.

"Don't… Remy. Just don't," I interrupted. "It's not your fault. I don't wanna hear it."

With the look on his face, I could only bet that he would never believe me, no matter how many times I said it. it didn't take a telepath to know that much.

He reluctantly let the subject drop and looked at my alabaster hand covering his own. He maneuvered his own hand so that it engulfed my own while running a thumb over the curves and protruding veins. Without meaning to, I rested my forehead against his and felt him slightly nuzzle his hair against me as we took pleasure in the restful moment.

Outside, cars on the road could be heard and the first rays of dawn made themselves known across the horizon. "You need sleep, Rogue," Remy said in a husky tone, finally disengaging from me.

He took one pillow from the bed and made to drop it on the ground. "What're you doing, Cajun?" I asked, not fully aware of what I was doing. "You're not sleeping on the floor," I stated with finality.

 _Good Lord Rogue! Inviting a man to your bed the first day you can touch anyone? What the hell are you doing?_

"Okay then," Remy sighed and put the pillow back on the bed.

I climbed into the bed underneath the comforter and sheets. After doing so, I shed my myself of the trench coat and draped it over the bedside table. With the cool sheets against my warm skin, I turned over on my side, facing away from Gambit, and tucked my hair beneath my neck so that it wouldn't bother me while I slept.

The bed shifted with Remy's weight, but I didn't feel the covers lift or anything. "You know, I don't bite," I smiled to myself.

"Damn, you know I was hopin' you would," Remy replied. Although I couldn't see him in the dark, I could still hear the smile in his voice.

Before drifting off to sleep, I turned over in the bed and looked at the silhouette of the man beside me. His chest rose and fell with his breathing, but it was strained as if he were still awake. That wouldn't surprise me whatsoever.

"What am I gonna tell them?" I asked him, not expecting an answer.

It was silent for several moments and I thought he really was asleep. It wouldn't be the first time I was wrong about something. Under the covers, he tentatively covered my hand in his own. "You'll figure it out… _we'll_ figure it out."

* * *

 **AW! How cute, right? Next chapter is the last chapter. Let me know if you want to see anything in chapter 4. Hope you enjoyed this one :) Keep it classy guys!**


	4. Set Free

**Author Note: Here it is! Final chapter in this "ficlet" of mine. Hope you guys like what's in store. This will be the longest chapter yet with nearly 3800 word count (not including author notes). We have a POV change between both our protagonists in this chapter, so you'll finally get to see just what the hell is going on in Gambit's mind and read as how he tries to work through some of what's been happening in his past 12+ hours. Spoiler alert: this chapter is very corny - you have been warned.**

 **Per usual, always drop a review! I want to know what you guys think about this story and whether or not I should continue writing in this universe. Furthermore, hint at some ideas of what YOU would want to see for this fic's future. Otherwise, follow and favorite as well, or just drop me a PM if you want to talk anything X-Men :)**

 **Enjoy!**

 _Chapter 4: Set Free_

 _Gambit POV:_

We woke up a little after noon, the rumbling from the cars outside but a mere hum in my ears at this point. There was a small body curled around me with dark tresses of hair tickling my bicep. I had dreamt about this moment ever since our impromptu trip to New Orleans. This was enough – in fact, it was everything.

I tried to tighten my arm around her as inconspicuously as I could without waking her, still astonished by her new _situation_. I could touch her; she could touch me! The thought was both exciting and worrisome. Although it had been months since the last time I saw Rogue, I always enjoyed the easy-going banter that we shared whether it be in battle or otherwise – I would flirt with her, making some type of innuendo and she would retaliate with faux annoyance and hatred. But would that change now that she didn't have her mutation? Would our light-hearted and heated banter take on a new note now that she and I could physically retaliate towards each other?

And the trauma that she had experienced, _mon Dieu_. It was amazing that she was still functioning right now. When I walked into the jail she was held in, I wasn't even expecting to find her. I had finished my job – got the files that Magneto asked for and a vile of something that looked too important to not steal from the unsuspecting scientists. The shitty security system and easily infiltratable building was almost laughable. For the money that Mags was going to pay, this was a relatively easy job; however, he wouldn't have hired me if the occasion was not important.

As I was leaving the complex, I heard a distressed scream. It was familiar, sure, but I would never have thought it would be Rogue on the other side of the door, being ravished against her will by a brute of a man. I should've hit him hard enough to kill the man who was trying to take a nonconsenting innocent woman, especially _my_ Rogue. But because I knew my chere, she would surely give me an earful about killing, _blah-blah-blah-good-guy-crap-blah-blah_. All I knew was that I needed to get her away from that situation, completely ignoring her ample breasts that were nearly on full view for the whole time we were in the building. Part of me wanted to gawk while another part of me wanted to shield her from any onlookers. Neither options happened until we got to the motorcycle and I handed my trench coat to her, so she would stay warm. I felt her tears as we sped away into the night but refused to react to them for fear of her pulling away. Magneto could wait – Rogue needed me now.

While I wanted to pull the woman in my arms closer to my chest, there was a contradicting voice in my head simultaneously telling me to pull away. I didn't just want to be a placeholder for her. She could touch anyone she wanted, love, kiss them.

What would she want with a dirty Cajun thief?

"Rogue wake up," I spoke into her ear while rubbing my hand lightly across her arm, savoring the tingling kinetic energy completely unrelated to my powers.

She said nothing, but her change in breathing and the tightening of her arm across my chest was indication enough that she was awake. God, she was enticing like this – pulling me closer instead of being forced to push me away. _I wish… no, don't go there._

"C'mon, we need to get you home," I said willing the hurt to stay out of my voice.

She looked up to me then and I was unable to keep the hurt from my eyes. The scoundrel in me wanted to stay in this bed with this woman and never leave; the honorable me wanted to take her home to the X-Mansion, where she belonged although her fate as an X-Man was uncertain.

"Or we could just run away and never look back," she looked to me with hopelessness in her eyes.

"Don' say stuff like that," I asked of her, closing my eyes. Because you don't know how bad I want to do just that.

Something akin to recognition reached her eyes and the subject was dropped as soon as it began.

We got up and took our meager belongings down to the lobby to check out. I grabbed the files and stuck them in their previous area of my trench coat. I felt for the stolen vile and was both pleased and disgusted by the small glass that held Rogue's very being in it. At least those damn scientists didn't have it anymore.

The checkout process was relatively quick, and we made our way to my motorcycle slowly. The place we were at was only a short drive from Bayville, something I was both dreading and thankful for.

I handed Rogue a helmet as we stood in the near-empty parking lot. A light breeze blew her now-brushed hair away from her face which was devoid of any makeup. It suited her well. I gave her my jacket once more before walking completely out of the motel and the sight of it on her was near breath-taking in the light of day. A small smile graced her plump lips as she caught my staring. I couldn't help but do the same. "Take me home, Remy," she said while tightening the coat around her.

"Of course, chere," I said with a still-easy smile, dreading the near future.

As we sped down the highway and got closer to our destination, I was worried that Rogue could feel the incessant and increasing pounding of my heart against her hands.

The gates were wide open upon arrival, as if they were already expecting us. Perhaps that wasn't too far from the truth; two telepaths under the same room possibly predicting our forthcoming was not an unfathomable thought to have.

Nobody came through the door until both Rogue and I had disembarked and taken our helmets off.

I was in enemy territory. But she was home. And that was enough.

A blue puff of smoke appeared in front of Rogue, and I took my normal defensive stance. Rogue turned around from the plume of smoke, addressing me with a fixed glare. _Stand down_ , her eyes roared.

"Force of habit," I shrugged, trying to appear relaxed for her peace of mind.

"God Dammit Kurt!" the auburn-haired spitfire coughed while addressing the new addition as he enveloped her in a tight hug. As Rogue clung to the blue creature's back, I remembered that these two were siblings despite their lack of resemblance. A small pit of jealousy withered away upon this realization.

"What happened to you?" he asked with concern.

Although Rogue was not facing me, her sudden rigidness gave way to distress. "Look, she's home safe, ain't she?" I sassed, criminalizing myself. I kidnapped her before, so it wasn't impossible – even in my own mind – to think I wouldn't do it again.

Kurt's face turned from worry to anger as he advanced on me. "You son of a –"

"Kurt!" Rogue yelled while pushing against his chest. "Don't."

He looked completely baffled as his angered eyes bore into my own.

She… defended my honor.

The slight quirk of my mouth was both a defiant smirk to Kurt and a bittersweet realization.

"Holy shit Rogue!" the one called Shadowcat yelled while phasing through the front door and running down the steps to greet her friend. Rogue stepped away from Kurt and I as I looked on at the joyous reunion. He seethed at me but remained at-bay, choosing wisely to avoid a battle in the garden.

I was most surprised to see Colossus make his way down the stairs, his metal armor unsheathed in his human form. "As I live and breathe," I muttered with a redefined smirk returning. Piotr came to me with a knowing smile on his face.

"Long time no see Brother," he greeted with a light Russian accent.

I brought him in for a quick man-hug, but he held on a little longer. He whispered, "You didn't do this, did you?"

I was momentarily pained by his mistrust. "No, not this time," I said just as quietly.

"Good," he said while releasing me with a relieved sigh. "You here to join the X-Men?"

"Not quite, Big Guy. Just thought you might want your teammate back, and who better to deliver than little ole Remy?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Sugar," Rogue spoke up, now standing at Piotr's side. "More like… right place, right time."

"So it was fate then?" I teased back.

She said nothing, but a hint of blush dusted her cheeks.

"Professor is gonna wanna see you Rogue… you too Gambit," Kitty said while looking between the both of us.

Even so, I couldn't take my eyes off the apprehensive-looking angel in front of me. I tried to smile comfortingly to her, hoping that the gesture didn't appear like my normal smirk or a grimace.

Everything will be fine, I tried to convey in that silent message.

It wasn't much longer before the senior members of the X-Men were gathered into the spacious office of Charles Xavier. I was sat down in a seat as everyone stood around me, while the Professor sat at his desk with a calm smile. So far, it seemed they were debriefing me first – although it felt more like an interrogation. Good cop sat in front of me while Bad cop leered near the door with a sneer on his face. Typical Wolverine. Beast also stood off to the side next to Storm with calm expressions, where Cyclops and Jean Grey occupied the other end of side of the office, distrustful yet polite. However, as Cyclops brought his arm possessively against the red-head's lower back in an obvious show of dominance, I was unsure of how _polite_ he really was in this moment.

"So… Gambit," Professor X began.

"Please, Remy will be fine," I claimed.

"Remy, then," the older gentleman smiled. "Would you like to tell us what happened?"

Rogue had not been debriefed yet and I feared what questions they may ask her, and if she was ready to yet divulge her story to everyone. "I don't work for Magneto anymore, but I was employed by him to fetch some information. I… do not know what his intention was when he got said information, but he gave off no signal that he would use it to do harm this time around."

"How can you be employed by someone you don't work for, Gumbo?" the Wolverine asked snidely.

"I'm a mutant, not a king. Still gotta pay the bills," I claimed easily.

His lip barely quirked in response in what appeared a smile before it fell once more into his stoic features.

"What was it that you retrieved?" Storm asked, now standing nearer to the Professor. She glared briefly at Wolverine for his off-topic chiding, but it held little malice from what I usually received.

I sighed, my whole body moving in unison with the motion of the exhale. I sat forward in the chair and reached my hand into my recently-returned trench coat. I paid them little attention as I retrieved what was needed and imperceptibly smelled the sweet scent of Rogue against the collar of the oversized jacket. I retrieved the large file holder and the vile of liquid from the pocket, setting the contents on the desk. "I have not glanced at the files myself, but they looked important… and the vile. It… contains –"

"Yes, I know," Xavier interrupted, noticing my hesitation. It didn't matter that the others likely had no idea what we both knew.

"I was leaving the premise when I heard Rogue, and that's when I got her out of there, but… no powers," I said in nearly a whisper.

Everyone in the room respectfully bowed their head to keep their surprise at bay. Even from behind me, I heard Wolverine grunt.

"We will hold off our debriefing with Rogue until she has had time to rest and recover," Storm said to the group, everyone shaking their heads in agreement.

"Shall I perform a physical examination to make sure she is in good health?" Beast asked.

"Only if she deems it necessary," the Professor claimed calmly. "Now I know why I could only sense you coming to us, Mr. LeBeau. Although I was fairly certain she was with you," he joked lightly in regard to the past. "Remy, as gratitude for bringing our team member back, I ask that you consider joining the X-Men, so that we may utilize your knowledge and ability for future endeavors."

"Thank you, Professor Xavier," I claimed. I was excited at the prospect but worried that I would not be accepted. I was their enemy after all. But then again, so was Colossus. And the Brotherhood. And even Rogue if the gossip that floated around the two groups confirmed it so.

However, as I gazed across _some_ faces in the room, I wasn't so sure that I was wanted.

"I have to decline your offer," I said. "Keep the files, if you wish. It is no longer a priority of mine."

At the beginning of this mission, I was excited to earn such a respectable amount of money, yet now… that was changed. Xavier could contact Magneto if he really wanted if their strange friendship was anything to go by.

When Rogue had been in distress, it was instinct to get her away from that horrid situation, payment be damned. It wasn't until after I gave her my coat the first time around that I realized I gave her the very entity of my mission. And yet, I didn't care – all I could register was how lovely she looked wrapped in my clothing or the way she felt upon my motorcycle.

It was about her now – became about her. And now, I was captivated, Lord help me.

* * *

 _Rogue POV:_

Gambit said he would take care of it. And he gave me that damned smirk to go along with it. _Damn him._

So now, I waited alone in my private quarters, making sure that Kitty and Kurt absolutely understood that I wanted some privacy before their monstrosity of questions was to come.

For a while, I anxiously sat atop my bed, relishing in the familiarities of it, yet missing the Cajun who had kept me warm the night before.

Before long, I pulled myself out of my revolving thoughts, thinking that now would be a good time to get out of these rags of clothing. I traded my torn shirt for my faded purple off-shoulder sweater, forgoing the normal tank top I wore underneath, along with a pair of cinched sweatpants. When I looked back into the mirror, I was surprised to see dark purple bruises mare my skin across my clavicle and near my hips. I couldn't help but poke at them lightly. They didn't hurt, and I had surely suffered worse; still, I cursed the fiend who marked me so.

I might be a mutant, but he was the monster.

I heard a creek near the door and was surprised to see Remy standing at the doorway, leaning against the wall. "If I had your radiant beauty, I would be staring at me too," he smirked, mistaking my wonder for vanity.

"Don't think me so vain, Gambit," I said while attempting to hide the bruises on my hips. I pulled the shirt down slightly while only showcased the marks upon my chest. Despite my efforts, he noticed. While his half-smirk remained intact, his eyes lost any semblance of playfulness. It was a thief's job to notice his surroundings.

"Can I help you?" I asked while slipping a hoodie over my body.

"No, just came to say goodbye," Remy replied.

"You're… leaving?" I asked, surprised. "No… of course you are."

The air between us was rather tense as we stood apart from one another, me not allowing him access to the room. "Nice looking room you got here cheré," he claimed nonchalantly.

"Yeah it's a pretty great room and it looks like you got the best view from right there," I sassed back.

"Seems so," he said mysteriously. I couldn't figure him out. "But I thought I'd just give you the courtesy of letting you know that I was leaving. I know you'll miss me," he said all-knowingly.

"I will, don't you worry," I spoke vehemently, although my eyes crinkled with elation at his playfulness.

"Say you'll think of me when you're alone at night in this room… on that bed. Nothing but good thoughts," he kept the game going.

"Only if you do the same," I played back.

"Never stopped since the first time I met you," he said cheekily.

"When you tried to blow my hand off, you mean?" I asked with a raised brow.

"That would've left no more than a scratch cheré," he rolled his eyes.

"I'd beg to differ Cajun," I mumbled.

He stepped closer to me, disregarding the lack of invitation, taking my hand – still gloved – and dropped a shameless kiss to the back of it. "Farewell, mon amour," he whispered huskily, turning to walk away.

"Wait!" I yelled to him, seizing his attention once more. I went to my nightstand and retrieved my journal, turning to the very back of it and taking out the slightly protruding object. I went back to Gambit and took his hands in my own, slipping the crisp card into his palm. "For good luck," I said to him as he gazed at his queen of hearts. "Your lucky lady," I went on, repeating his words from so long ago.

"Something like that," he smiled at me, pocketing the card gratefully. "Goodbye Rogue." He fully turned away, making his exit.

"Goodbye Remy," I whispered with a heavy heart, sitting on the edge of the bed.

The door was still slightly ajar as he made his way out of the mansion. A knock sounded at my door not but a minute later and I looked up to find Logan standing there. "Hey kid," he tried to smile. It looked more like a grimace.

"Hey Logan, you can come in," I said. He hesitated at my invitation but walked in nonetheless.

"Saw the Cajun leaving. He didn't look too happy," he deadpanned.

My eyes widened slightly in surprise. Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way that I did. Maybe he didn't want to go as much I didn't want him to leave. "Is that so?" I asked, mocking curiosity. Logan came here for a reason, and I just wished he would make his damn point already.

"Prof. offered to put him up. Got the feeling that he didn't feel welcome here," he sighed loudly.

"You didn't happen to be an instigator of such, did you?" I asked. The Professor asked him to join the X-Men and he… _declined?_ Of course he would, stupid Cajun and his dumb male pride.

"Look kid. I don't like the guy. Never did, and especially not after that bullshit he pulled in New Orleans," he said matter-of-fact. It was no secret that the two didn't get along. At all. Whatsoever. By any means. "But there are some people who want him around I suppose…" he trailed off. "And the rest of us can tolerate him."

"Logan…?" I asked while standing from my bed.

"Can you just… go convince the fool to stay? I don't need you moping around here over some guy," he groaned while opening the door a little wider for me. "Especially him," he mumbled as I quickly walked out.

Him. For it was him who I _could_ touch now and him who I _wanted_ to touch. And I had _wanted_ him to stay. If I _wanted_ to touch, he _needed_ to stay. I _needed_ him to stay.

I jogged down the stairs, hopping down the last four of them and ran out through the door as his motorcycle began to rev to life. "Wait!" I yelled. "You idiot Cajun! I told you to wait!" I yelled again as he indicated his head my way, killing the engine and dismounting. Still, I ran to him.

I ran until I was safely in his arms, hugging him fiercely around his neck. His arms stayed at his sides in surprise but quickly wrapped around my waist. "My God Rogue, what's wrong?" he asked with concern.

"Stay," I simply stated into his shoulder. "Stay here with us. With me." I refused to let go of him and only held him tighter to me.

"Rogue…" he began while nuzzling my cheek with his own. The tone of his voice seemed like he was about to argue my request.

I pulled away enough to look him in the eye, but still kept my arms wrapped around his shoulders and around the nape of his neck. His arms never left their position at my waist while his thumbs drew intoxicating circles into my sides lightly. "No Remy. I want you here," I stated vehemently, willing him to understand what words could not convey. Perhaps there were words that could speak to what I was saying, but I was not ready for such a conviction. "Stay," I demanded.

"I might need some convincing," Remy sighed dramatically while waggling his eyebrows as I felt one of his gloved hands on my bare cheek, the warmth of his fingers seeping through the thin material as some of his uncovered fingers touched me dearly.

"Shut your mouth," I said, kissing him for the second time, although it would be the first that I truly remembered. Our lips molded and moved against each other seamlessly. His experience far outweighed my own, but we both realized that I was a fast learner, eager for more as I bit his bottom lip. _Did I mention I was eager?_

Our chaste kiss turned passionate, but after some minutes, we withdrew. Better to not give people something to look at and gossip about.

We stayed molded against each other with his forehead resting against my own, breathing each other's air. He was such a stunning man. And that kiss… it was so damn hot!

"Might need another kiss to convince little ole Remy," he smirked. I couldn't help but match him with my own saucy grin.

"I was thinking the same," I said huskily while claiming his luscious lips once more.

And just like that, I was captivated.

* * *

 **Cheesy as hell ending? Yes! Couldn't help myself for the last chapter! I feel like such a sappy writer sometimes. Hope you all liked it and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU all for sticking with this short story. Let me know if you want to see more from these two in this universe. Don't forget to show your love - review/follow/favorite :) Keep it classy, everyone!**


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